Bend – Riverfriend

Posted by mimada on July 10, 2013

Yesterday, the indie synth-pop duo group Bend released their album, Riverfriend. The album is a dynamic range of electronic and natural sounds, each track contrasting the previous. There’s a perfect song for everyone on here. If you like Vampire Weekend, try “I’m Taking Care of Him.” Imogen Heap fan? Give “Riverfriend I” a go. Or maybe you’re a Motown, barbershop quartet kinda guy, in which case “Everyone” is all you. Don’t mind me though; I’ll be over in the corner dancing along to “No Space.”

This album makes great use of silence and minimalism (something we tend to forget about in the EDM world), showcasing the quirky vocals of Bend’s Sean Eads. As it turns out, Eads’ voice is the metaphorical commentary of Jacky Bryan. What is this Jacky Bryan you speak of, other than the 3rd track on the album, you may be asking? Well…

The album is an eclectic commentary on the ubiquitous feeling of not belonging, as told from the perspective of a mysterious space alien named Jacky Bryan.

You’ll find after giving the album a listen, you might be surprised by how much you connect with both the lyrics and the hardships of an extraterrestrial being. Maybe life on other planets isn’t such a distant concept. So, I’ll just leave that there, along with this video for “I’m Taking Care of Him,” a perfect visual pairing for the single. Enjoy!

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